Matt Fordham considers himself one of the lucky ones. When McDonald's applied last month to open its Pt Chevalier restaurant and drive-through for 24-hours a day, he was invited to make a submission.
His is one of five properties identified, in terms of the Resource Management Act, as being "potentially
adversely affected by the proposal". What concerns the residents is that so few are able to have a say in the consent process because of the act's limited definition of "adversely affected".
Independent commissioner Greg Hill allowed the five homeowners and a service station to be notified, saying there was no need for wider consultation because the effects beyond the immediate area would be minor.
Auckland councillors voted in July to give local boards "early input" on contentious resource consents, but Albert-Eden and other local boards want the governing body to go further.
Pt Chevalier's McDonald's on Great North Rd now closes at 11pm on weeknights and midnight during the weekend. Mr Fordham says after receiving notification of the application, affected residents met the Albert-Eden Local Board.
"We thought there was a good chance more than five homeowners would be upset about it. We set up the website, Point Chev Says No, as we wanted the rest of their community to have their voices heard. I think people are feeling disempowered by the process. They feel this is something they should have had a say on."
Through the website, 105 people filled in feedback forms, which Mr Fordham collated and sent to Auckland Council. "The submitters thought carefully about how it will affect them in the areas of noise and litter. Of the 100-odd people that sent us comments, about 20 are from our street. My next-door neighbour wasn't notified but she's already being affected. She picks up McDonald's litter from her garden."
The McDonald's site stretches from a Business 2 zone into a Residential 6a zone. It is just 15m from the closest neighbour's bedroom wall to the proposed drive-through extension.
Mr Fordham feels a 24-hour operation does not fit with the district plan. "On Friday and Saturday nights there will be people turning up at three in the morning ... In a residential area people are sleeping and a 24-hour business shouldn't be nearby."
He hopes the Auckland Plan will provide clear rules about where 24-hour premises can operate.
"We feel we might have this fight and win it, but every time this situation comes up [communities] shouldn't have to have the same fight over and over again."
Mr Fordham and other residents received advice from some involved in the failed battle to stop a McDonald's in nearby Balmoral. In December 2010, the Environment Court approved the restaurant.
Justine Tringham was one of 60 residents who formed the Balmoral Community Group to oppose the application.
She worries, if approved, 24-hour opening at Pt Chev could set a precedent and give McDonald's grounds to apply for longer opening hours in Balmoral.
"During the [Balmoral] hearing there were some strong court and council decisions against a 24-hour opening, saying it would never be appropriate for Balmoral. As I understand it Balmoral and Pt Chevalier are not that different.
"If they go ahead and says it's okay to do it in Pt Chev, they are breaching their own decision-making process."
Local board acting chair Margi Watson says it supports the community's concerns.
"They don't see a place for a 24-hour McDonald's in Pt Chevalier. It doesn't add to their social or economic well-being.
"While the board can't determine issues under the Resource Management Act, we have closely heard the message and forwarded all comments to the council."
She thinks the community is being very reasonable. "This is not about being a nimby. It's about asking, is a residential area the place for such a business?"
Mt Albert MP David Shearer supports locals opposing extended hours, saying the number of submissions demonstrates widespread community opposition.
"Auckland has one of the highest numbers of drive-through fast-food outlets per head of population in the world. I don't think we need another 24-hour drive-through," says the Labour MP.
"Although submissions to the council have now closed, I am available to support and assist local residents in their next steps in whatever way I can."
Matt Fordham considers himself one of the lucky ones. When McDonald's applied last month to open its Pt Chevalier restaurant and drive-through for 24-hours a day, he was invited to make a submission.
His is one of five properties identified, in terms of the Resource Management Act, as being "potentially
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.